Living a healthier life is more than just choosing the right meals from the supermarket. You need to create your own meals and think about the ingredients you’re adding. You need to think about the nutritional value while still making it tasty so you can enjoy it. Being healthy doesn’t mean cutting out all your favourites. Here are some ideas for ingredients when creating your own health recipes.
1. Add the Dark Leafy Vegetables: Dark leafy greens are great for nutritional value and you should add them as much as possible. Consider making a broccoli and cauliflower cheese sauce instead of just the cauliflower and add spinach into your stews and soups. You may be turning your nose up right now but they are great for your body and you can make them taste good. Dark leafy vegetables are so good because they contain the majority of the nutrients you could ever need; some that are very hard to find. They are full of calcium, iron and the B vitamins.
2. Create Delicious Desserts with Citrusy Fruits: Fruits like oranges, lemons and limes are great for desserts. They are also great for health recipes. These fruits are full of vitamin C, which is needed by the body for the immune system. The body can’t store or make vitamin C, which can lead to the immune system not working properly. Getting a good amount will lead to healthier lifestyles and fighting off colds much easier. You can also use the ingredients to make your own natural fruit juices instead of having the store-bought options that are full of sugars.
3. Focus on Whole Wheat and Wholegrain: When something asks for flour, sugar, bread or pasta, consider the whole wheat or wholegrain varieties. These break down in the body much slower so do not release the sugars into your bloodstream as much. This helps to avoid spikes in energy and insulin, which can lead to the body becoming immune to the effects of insulin; leading to diabetes. Wholegrain and whole wheat will also make you feel fuller, which will help if you are trying to lose weight.
4. Use Fruit and Vegetables for Healthy Dips: Instead of buying dips from the supermarket, focus on making your own. These are great for eating with vegetable sticks, fruit sticks and even crisps. There are many recipes out there for healthy dips but you could mix beetroot and mint together with some plain yogurt or mash some sweet potato with carrots. You’ll be surprised by how delicious these homemade dips are and how much healthier they become.
5. Switch to Quorn and Tofu: If you’re willing to do the switch, take out meat from your diet and opt for tofu and quorn instead. These are still full of protein and can be delicious and healthier alternatives. The best thing is you can use any of your normal recipes to make them healthier. Instead of using beef mince, switch to quorn mince. Instead of pork sausages for a casserole, opt for quorn ones or tofu pieces. Meat can be full of fat, depending on the part of the animal that it comes from, and leads to higher cholesterol levels. Vegetarian options help to eliminate a lot of that.
Health recipes are everywhere but you can make them healthier. Think about the type of ingredients that are being added in and see if there is a better option. Look out for recipes that use dark leafy greens, whole grains and citrusy fruits to get many nutritional benefits.
Author bio:
This guest post was written by Paul Huber, a food fanatic. He is constantly trying to create fresh and interesting health recipes. He loves using SparkRecipes for delicious ideas that are easy to make and take no time at all.
